112 



THE PIMA INDIANS 



[ KTir. ANN. 26 



Magic Tablets 



The collection contains two tablets which were obtained from 

 medicine-men and half of one which was found in the cache above 

 referred to (fiij. 33, a, h, c). Two have ornamental borders, while 



the tliird is quite smooth to the rounded 

 margin ; it has the figure of a horse scratched 

 on one side and that of a man on the other." 



Turquoise 



This stone, which is so common in some 

 parts of the Southwest that every Indian has 

 it hanging from ears, 

 neck, or arms, seems to 

 be rare in Pimeria. 

 But one pair of ear 

 pendants was seen. It 

 was somewhat more 

 abundant in early days. 

 It was believed that if 

 a man lost a turcjuoise 

 the mishap was due to 

 magic, and as a result he would be afflicted with some mysterious ail- 

 ment which could ])e cured only by a medicine-man skilled in the 

 cure of the "doctor's disease." He would use another piece of tur- 

 quoise or a slate or a crystal, placing the stone in 

 water and giving the latter to the patient to drink. 



Pipe 



A stone cylinder (fig. 34),'' probalily a pipe, was 

 obtained from a Pima, who said that lie had " found 

 it long ago." It seems short for such a purpose, yet 

 it is longer than a cane cylinder the writer found in 

 actual use. The smoke is blown outward in certain 

 ceremonies and in others drawn in. These tubes were also 

 the Pimas in sucking and blowing the bodies of the sick 

 purpose of expelling disease. 



" The last tablet is 122 mm. long by 56 mm. wide; it is 6 mm. thick at one side and tapers to 2 mm. 

 at the other. The largest specimen is 161 mm. long hy 94 mm. wide and 10 mm. thick; the border is 10 

 mm. wide, marked thus: XXXX. The broken specimen is 87 mm. wide; its length can not be deter- 

 mined. The X pattern at the margin runs over to the surface of the reverse side. 



' Length, 48 mm.; internal diameter, 16 mm.; ma.ximum external diameter, 28 mm. 



Fio. 33, a, 6, c. Magic tablets. 



Fig. 34. Stone pipe. 



used by 

 for the 



